Learn the Irish: South Accent

(73.4MB, 77 minutes) 2011 Edition

Southern Irish  (do you need Northern?  West - Galway?  Dublin?)

This download includes a written examination for learning the Southern Irish accent, and the following sound files featuring Accent Help coach Jim Johnson:

Play Audio Sample:

1. Introduction to Sound Placement, Intonation, and Helpful Hints for speaking with a Southern Irish accent (4:42)
2. Consonant sound changes when learning an Irish accent for Counties Cork, Limerick, and Kerry (6:55)
3. Vowel sound changes for this Munster Irish accent (6:30)
4. changes to Diphthongs in Southern Irish accents (5:48)
5. Alternate Pronunciations for words when speaking with a Southern Irish accent (2:54)
6. Wrap up to learning an Irish accent for the south (1:16)
7. Rossmore Cork Female reading (1:06)
8. + her conversation (8:28)
9. Cobh Cork Male reading (1:05)
10. + his conversation (6:03)
11. Annascaul Kerry Males conversation (3:00)
12. Cork-Dingle Female reading (1:16)
13. + her conversation (5:01)
14. Dingle Kerry Male reading (1:36)
15. + his conversation (2:07)
16. Two Killarney Males reading (1:58)
17. + their conversation (6:09)
18. Limerick City Female reading (1:02)
19. Limerick City Male reading (1:16)
20. + their conversation (8:53)

This download focuses on learning a Southern Irish accent, including recordings of natives from the Counties Cork, Kerry and Limerick.  There is a lot in common with accents of the western parts of Ireland, especially the sound changes, though the intonation pattern is a bit different.  It's quite different from the accents of the north and east of Ireland.  

Whatever accent you're working on, it's a good idea to get our FREE guide to learning accents and dialects - it will help you to get started with some basic terms and ideas for learning accents.  It's also included free in this download.

Though these sound files have been remastered to reduce background noise, most of these recordings are made "in the field" so you will hear such things as birds, cars or other people in the background.  A transcription of the conversations is included to help you follow along.  This download also contains four versions of the written materials:  A printer-friendly pdf, a pdf that is in a larger format for use on a portable reading device, and both mobi and epub editions for other portable readers.